Relationship dossier
Greece
Israel
Relationship assessment
Close defense and regional partnership, alongside Greek support for Palestinian statehood and humanitarian protections
Greece toward Israel
+55Greece has pursued defense cooperation with Israel through joint military exercises and the agreement to establish a flight-training center in Greece. It has also cooperated with Israel and Cyprus on regional energy matters. Greek governments have supported Israel’s security while advocating humanitarian protections in Gaza and a two-state solution.
Israel toward Greece
+60Israel has deepened defense cooperation with Greece, including through the agreement to establish a flight-training center in Greece and the supply of Israeli defense systems. Israel has also worked with Greece and Cyprus on regional energy initiatives.
Overall relationship
+55The relationship is underpinned by sustained defense cooperation and regional coordination, particularly involving Cyprus. Differences over Palestinian statehood and the humanitarian consequences of Israeli military operations in Gaza complicate the partnership but have not displaced its substantial practical cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Greece and Israel have developed substantial defense and security cooperation, including joint military exercises and a major Israeli-Greek agreement to establish a flight-training center in Greece. The two governments have also cooperated with Cyprus on energy and regional issues. Greece has supported Israel’s security while also calling for humanitarian protection in Gaza and backing a two-state solution, creating some policy differences amid an otherwise close relationship.
Areas of tension
- Greek support for a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood differs from Israeli policy.
- Greek calls for humanitarian protection and restraint in Gaza have created differences with Israel over the conduct and consequences of military operations.
Key developments
Greece and Israel agreed on a major defense arrangement to establish an international flight-training center in Greece.
The governments expanded military cooperation, including joint exercises and Israeli defense-equipment sales to Greece.
Greece, Israel and Cyprus pursued trilateral cooperation on regional energy issues.
Major uncertainties
- The long-term scope and implementation of defense and energy cooperation are unclear.
- The extent to which Gaza-related disagreements affect practical bilateral cooperation is uncertain.